Dry Leaves/Hot Wire  scorching sounds

The Bottom Line: It gives you a different outlook on small town bands making big and gives you hope if you are a struggling artist.

The second CD released by MT5, in 1996, has shown great improvement in the vocal style of Chris Wilson and Vince Falcone, lead singers for this band. The previous release, Columbus, Ohio, was pure hard rocking music but the vocals were so distorted that often they could not be heard. With Dry Leaves  Hot Wire, the band has toned down some, the mix is better, the vocals clearer and the singing style much improved. However, MonsterTruck 5 remains hard-core, garage/basement, head banging music  for only those that dare to be different.

Containing 11 songs on this CD, MT5 writes their own music and lyrics, finding most other commercial releases too tame for their style. The first song Take It Outside (Wilson) relates to everyday relationships between the lowly souls in life that put on their face for society ..looking in the bottle/you will never be alone/that guy next to you in a $1000 suit/with a million dollar frown/I can change your mind/I can change your mind/if you take it outside ..

As is their style, MT5 never puts spaces between the words on their song titles, preferring to run them together into all one word. The balance of the releases on this CD include:

NewJerseyleft (Wilson) Chlorineeyes (Wilson) Trainwreckinmyheart (Wilson) Wakeup (Wilson)  a different style for Chris, this starts really slow and sensual but quickly breaks into the beat that Wilson is noted for  hard and fast, then ending with the same sensual feel. Downtowndelivery (Wilson) Neverevenknew (Falcone)  an almost ballad (note almost) telling the story of a guy facing his realities and his future Quality (Wilson) Barelylegal (Wilson) Theyfalltpieces (Wilson) Fiveminuteflood (Wilson)

As you can see, this is primarily a Chris Wilson release, with only one song totally Falcone. However, Falcone does team up with Wilson on many of the vocals in the other releases.

With the death of Chris Wilson in May, 2000, and the previous death of Jack Taylor in 1997, MT5 has limited CDs available. Two that have been released and one that is ready for release but being held for ransom by some money mogul in California. Wilsons family and Vince Falcone are attempting to get this production, Breakers, released into the market place. I hope they are successful. From what I have heard it is purported to be the best collection of music they made  certainly feasible since most bands improve with time.

MT5 music is released on the Sympathy for the Record Industry label and is available online from most providers (Amazon, MediaPlay, etc.) and also available in real time stores. MonsterTruck 5 isnt a band for everyone. Bordering on the grunge scene, basement band type of music, their following is elite. MT5s music is for long haul driving when you want that head banging, jaw jarring music to keep you alert. Its not background party music nor is it I wanna make love to you music.

It is, simply put, just four guys with a love for sound and words plying their talent and their trade to that which they love. They never expected to become millionaires, they only wanted to get their music out of their heads and their souls and into yours.

Listen if you dare ..

Follow up and notes: I have heard the rough-cut version of Breakers and indeed find it to be a perfect final touch to this band. The Wilsons, Falcone and I (yep, I stuck my nose right in it!) have persuaded the fat cat mogul to release the CD to us, it is in production and should be out for the anniversary of Wilsons death, May 30, 2001. Keeping fingers crossed.

Thanks Susie for the kind words about the band...We all miss Chris, and hopefully breaker will come out some day, but it never did get released...Monster Truck Five drove real fast and took many chances, pushing the envelope of music reality, most other bands in Columbus were terribly frightened of us and that was for good reason...V

SusiDee34June 28, 2011

Dang I really miss Chris, he was a really nice person. He always made me smile and propped me up when I was down. I've still got the Breakers release that his brother sent me and I stay in touch with Elizabeth, his old flame from Toledo. Used to talk to his father once in a while but I haven't heard from him for a bit. I was just listening to Dry Leaves the other day ... karma :)

MT0005June 28, 2011

Yeah, its good to remember the ones we love, i think about him most every day and still get teary eyed, i just moved to Seattle to run a brewery, but over memorial day i visited his tree at Oakland nursery and shared a beer and cigarette...Tell Elizabeth hello, she is such a good egg and tell Jack i say hello, if you ever talk to him again, he had it rough losing his youngest...Vince